Funnel.



J. R. SMITH.

TUNNEL.

APPLICATION FILED 0GT.16. 1908.

Patented Mar. 29, 1910.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

JOHN R. SMITH, OF BRADFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN M. LYNCH, OF HYDE PARK, MASSACHUSETTS.

FUNNEL.

Specicaton of LettersPatent.

Patented Mar. 29, 1910.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN R. SMITII, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bradford, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Funnels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to funnels, and comprises a tell tale funnel particularly designed for use in filling automobile tanks to prevent overflow of the gasolene when the tank is full. It can be used, however, for lling bottles or any other receptacle where it is necessary or desirable to know how much to put in.

The invention is illustrated in the accom panying drawings in which" Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the device. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring specifically to the drawings, A indicates a funnel with a straight shank or tube a rigidly attached thereto.

B is a tube which is fixed at its upper end to a three-legged support or spider C which is held in position at the top of the funnel,

, by an angle band D fitting the top of the funnel.

E is a wooden rod extending through the tube B and also through the tube a, and it is guided at the top by a hole at the center of' the spider, and at the bottom by a ring Z1 fitted in the tube B. The rod extends through the funnel, and at some distance below the end of the funnel has a cork F attached thereto. At the top end of the rod is a button G to prevent the same falling through the tube.

H is a sheet metal sleeve firmly fastened in the lower end of the funnel, and this sleeve is contracted at the middle.

I is a wire netting or screen fitted to the tube B at its inner edge and resting at its outer edge against the sides of the funnel A. Its purpose is to strain the liquid so that dirt will not go through the funnel.

J is an attachment fitting over the stem of the funnel and adapted to rest upon the tube of the tank or other receptacle, to support the funnel in vertical position and to limit the length which the funnel may extend into the receptacle.

When the funnel A is placed in a tank or other receptacle and adjusted to convenient depth by the attachment J, the rod E with the cork F attached extends below the lower end of the funnel, with the button G resting on the top of the spider. As soon as the liquid in the tank reaches the cork the rod is lifted, inally causing the cork to enter the lower end of the funnel, where it fits into the contracted sleeve H and thus prevents any more liquid flowing through the funnel. The tube B serves to prevent the wooden rod floating in the liquid in the funnel and also serves as a support for the screen. The attachment J is adjustable to any height desired, on the stem of the funnel, being provided with a thumb screw j to hold it as set.

It will be observed that the device not only indicates when the tank is normally full, by the lift of the button G, but also closes the funnel, when the cork is lifted, thereby preventing the entrance of additional liquid into the tank.

I claim:

A funnel comprising a conical body portion, a body tube extending from the contracted end of said body portion, a spider frame in the open end of said body portion, a tube extending inwardly from, and supported at its outer end by, said spider frame, a screen within said body portion adjacent its contracted end and supporting the inner end of said tube, a ring within the inner end of said tube, said spider frame having its central portion extending across the outer end of the tube and provided with an aperture conforming to the aperture in said ring, a valve rod extending through the apertures and said tube, and through the body tube, a sheet metal sleeve having its ends secured within the outer end of said body tube and provided with a contracted central portion, and a valve head formed upon the adjacent outer end of said rod to fit within said sleeve.

In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN R. SMITH.

Witnesses:

ELMER C. RICHARDSON, LOUISE C. ARENTzEN. 

